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Reading old German records requires a knowledge of basic German genealogical terms and familiarity with German handwriting. Difficulty in reading a record may not result from a record keeper’s poor penmanship but rather the use of a different style of handwriting. As most early German documents were written in some form of Gothic handwriting or printing, familiarity with this style of writing will aid in deciphering early German records.
With handwritten documents, it is not always easy to tell where one letter ends and the next one begins. Many of the letters also have similar shapes making it difficult to tell one letter from another. Practice writing your name and other words in the Gothic alphabet until you can develop a feel for the flow of the letters. This will help you read documents more easily.
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